Cutter for looped pile fabric



Nov. 21, 1961 Filed Jan. 15, 1960 H. C MUELLER CUTTER FOR LOOPED FILE FABRIC 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR.

HELMUT C. MUELLER BY 7 I% (A4' '&

FTTTO ENEVS Nov. 21, 1961 H. c. MUELLER CUTTER FOR LOOPED PILE. FABRIC 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 15, 1960 2 & w z W QM MN M Q P w L t m .Q P

INVENTOR HELMUT C. MUELLER HTT'OENEVS States The present invention relates to a device for cutting pile fabric and relates, more particularly, to a device for cutting pile fabrics, such as carpet, having pile loops on the face thereof.

An object of the present invention is to provide a cutter which facilitates the cutting of carpet, such as two-heddle woven carpet, in which the pile loops in alternate rows are staggered relative to each other. Where the pile loops are staggered in such a manner, it is difficult to cut such carpet uniformly in a weft wise direction preparatory to seaming of the carpet or the like. The present invention by utilizing the pile loops makes it possible for an operator to sever such a fabric by making a cut on the pile face in such a way that the severed loops wil be substantially uniform in height and present a neat straight edge suitable for seaming or the like.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent and better understood from the following description and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cutting device embodying the present invention preparatory to being inserted in a piece of looped carpeting;

FIG. 2 is a top plan View of the cutting device shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side view of the cutting device shown in FIG. 1 in cutting position;

FIG. 4 is an end view of the cutting device shown in FIG. 1; and

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary view of a portion of the cutting device shown in FIG. 1 with certain parts removed.

Referring to the drawings in detail, there is a vertical plate having a shallow recess 11 formed therein. A cutting blade 12 is supported in the recess in an inclined position with its lower end resting on an abutment 13 which is formed as part of the plate.

A channel 14 at the rear of the abutment communicates with a recess for the removal of foreign material from the recess and to provide access to the recess for the removal of the blade. A cover 15 secured to the plate by welding or other suitable manner encloses the recess and the blade supported therein. The plate contains a circular opening 16 at the upper end of the recess which is aligned with rectangularly shaped opening 17 in the cover through which the blade may be inserted or removed.

A handle 18 which can be readily grasped by an operator is attached to the top edge of the plate at the rear thereof.

In general, the structure described above corresponds to the Fabric Cutter disclosed in United States Letters Patent No. 2,567,102 issued on September 4, 1951 to Jerome E. Cook and reference may be made thereto for further details.

A guide bar 19 extends from a point adjacent the lower end of the blade-receiving recess beyond the forward end of the Vertical plate. The guide bar is separated from the lower edge of the plate by a narrow slot 20 which extends to the blade-receiving recess and which may extend beyond the rear of the recess. Thus, the cutting edge of the blade extends across the slot to a point beneath the guide bar and is exposed at spaced points above and below the guide bar.

atent ice When the guide bar is inserted through the pile loops on the face of the carpet, the tops of the loops are guided by the guide bar into cutting engagement with the exposed cutting edge of the blade above the guide bar and the back of the carpet is guided into cutting engagement with the cutting edge of the blade extending below the guide bar. Thus, a straight out with the severed loops being of uniform height is assured.

Side plates 21 which extend rearwardly from the cutting blade may also be provided on the vertical plate. The side guide plates extend at right angles from the vertical plate on opposite sides thereof and the forward ends 22 thereof are inclined upwardly so that cut sections of the carpet can pass beneath the side plates without interference. The rear portions of the side plates are spaced from the lower edge 23 of the vertical plate and are generally parallel thereto. Thus, the side plates tend to maintain the vertical plate in a vertical plane as the cutting progresses. The lower edge 23 of the vertical plate is straight and slides along the surface on which the carpet rests during the cutting operation.

In using the cutting device described above, the guide bar is inserted through a series of aligned loops 24 on the face of the carpet as indicated in FIGS. 1 and 2. The operator then pushes the cutter forward into cutting engagement with the carpet. As shown in FIG. 3, the blade simultaneously cuts the aligned loops, which in this case are alternate loops, at the tops thereof and cuts the back of the carpet. Thus, a uniform height of cut with a neat appearance is obtained and a straight out is assured by engagement of the guide bar with aligned loops. As the carpet is cut, the edges of the severed portions pass under the side of the guide plates as the cutting device is advanced in cutting the carpet.

It will be understood that various changes and modifications may be made in the embodiment of the invention illustrated and described herein without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.

I claim:

1. A carpet cutting tool comprising a flat plate having a cutting blade mounted thereon, said blade having a cutting edge facing forwardly of the plate and extending to -a point adjacent a lower edge of the plate, said lower edge extending rearwardly from the blade, and an elonggated loop-engaging guide bar carried by and extending forwardly from the plate, said guide her being positioned above the lower edge of the plate and extending across the cutting edge of the blade with exposed portions of said cutting edge being located above and below the guide bar, said exposed portions of the cutting edge located above and below the guide being positioned for engagement, respectively, with tops of a row of loops forming pile elements and a backing material on which said loops are formed.

2. A carpet cutting tool as defined in claim 1 which includes a supporting member extending outwardly from each side of the plate, said members being spaced above the lower edge of the plate and having forward ends located adjacent the cutting edge of the blade in a position to pass over loops of the carpet cut by the blade.

3. In a carpet cutting tool having a flat plate with a cutting blade mounted thereon, said blade having a cutting edge facing forwardly of the plate and extending to a point adjacent a lower edge of the plate, said lower edge of the plate extending rearwardly from the blade, the improvement which comprises an elongated loop-engaging guide bar carried by and extending forwardly from the plate, said guide bar being positioned above the lower edge of the plate to engage with an aligned row of loops forming pile elements extending upwardly from a carpet backing material and extending across the cutting edge of the blade with exposed portions of said cutting edge being located above and below said guidebar, the exposed portion of the cutting edge above the guide bar being positioned to cut tops of the loops forming said row of loops and the exposed portion of the cutting edge below the guide bar being positioned to cut the catpet backing material.

4. In a carpet cutting tool, the improvement as defined in claim 3 which includes a supporting member extending outwardly along each side of the plate in spaced relation to the lower edge of the plate, said members having curved forward ends located adjacent the cutting 1,442,334 Gregoire Jan. 16, 1923 1,575,127 Podhrodsky Mar. 2, 1926 2,238,678 Cook Apr. 15, 1941 2,320,363 Kabigting June 1, 1943 2,603,866 Rice July 22, 1952 2,806,283 Brennan Sept. 17, 1957 

